ISHC UPDATE: October 2018

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL! We are gearing up for a busy survey schedule this Fall session, October 10th- November 16th. We have much more flexibility with dates than we have had in the past, so please let us know your preferences and send in your registration form as soon as you can.

REGISTRATION FOR SPRING (2/5-5/17) 2019 IS NOW OPEN. The registration form is attached. We encourage you to send it in as soon as you can to secure your preferred date.

Our National Database collects data on all of the survey questions. There are many areas that invite further investigation. One in particular is about our students’ help seeking behaviors. We have been curious about the relatively low frequency of students seeking help from adults in their school communities:

The article cited below regarding college campuses might shed some light on the obstacles students perceive in reaching out within their school communities. It begs the question of our schools’ capacity to be caring, empathetic and nurturing in both our practices and policies when students turn to us for help.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?
FEELING SUICIDAL, STUDENTS TURNED TO THEIR COLLEGE.
THEY WERE SENT HOME.
Anemona Hartocollis
New York Times 08/28/18

At a time when students feel most vulnerable, they ask for help and are sent away. They are “offered” medical leave which separates them from the school environment they want to be part of. Policies that support this type of reaction to genuine help seeking behavior in colleges and in independent schools need to be reviewed and revised to allow for more rather than less support in the school environment. The ISHC National Database shows that for 25,100 students in 56 upper schools from 2016-2018:

33.3% have sought professional help from mental health professionals
32% of them were diagnosed with depression
21.5% reported that they felt sad and hopeless during the past year and couldn’t keep up with their routines
11.4% seriously considered suicide
39.4% of those with plans did NOT tell anyone